The petition was launched in the later part of 2019 by Diana Ayling. The petition acheived over 640 signatures, and was presented to David Seymore, Member of Parliament for Epsom in November 2019. The petition was tabled in Parliament on the same day. The petition was referred to the Health Select Committee. The Committee are seeking a written submission before speaking with Diana Ayling at Parliament.

The Committee is meeting 12 February 2020 and will review the Network's written submission. Th

Five Steps to a New Normal: Life After Cancer

This article was written by Jenny Leyh, a mother, freelance writer, cancer survivor and integrative health advocate living in Haddon Heights, New Jersey.

Hearing the words “you have cancer” was devastating. It was a life-altering diagnosis that caused time to stand still. But once a plan was established and the treatment began, the fear and unknowns morphed into empowerment. My medical team kept a close eye over everything I did and it was comforting

EU approval for Keytruda in head and neck cancer

The European Commission has approved MSD’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as monotherapy or as part of a combination, for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

The regulatory body says that the approval was based on data from the Phase III KEYNOTE-048 trial, in which the drug, compared with standard treatment (cetuximab with carboplatin or cisplatin plus 5-FU), demo

Petitions Presented: A United Stand

Deputy Prime Minister Admits Pharmac Needs More Money

Patient Voice Aotearoa welcomes the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters on ‘The Project’ on Friday last week. Peters stated “Right now…we know we are not spending nearly enough on pharmaceuticals and first world drugs…the reality is that Pharmac’s budget is not big enough and we have to face that as a country and make some accommodations to give people the treatment and first world drugs that they deserve. We have a $7.5

New developments in the treating of head and neck cancer, and diagnosing thyroid cancer.

Emerging thyroid cancer test may prevent unnecessary surgeries

Thyroid cancer is among the most curable types of cancer, with relative survival rates close to 100% for localized and regional tumors. Incidence of the malignancy has increased rapidly, with about 52,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States, according to American Cancer Society data.

Fine-needle aspiration, which is the current

Seniors Need Vaccinations Too

Adults should be vaccinated against cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) to save ‘thousands’ more lives, said a UK expert.

According to a dailymail.com article on September 28, 2019, cancer scientists say ‘evidence is now emerging that giving the jab to those who already harbor HPV could protect them as well,’ per Margaret Stanley of Cambridge University, president of the International Papilloma Virus Society. Read more here....

Wake-up call for cancer agency boss Diana Sarfati

Last Saturday's profile of Sarfati, in which she was asked to name her three priorities, said: "One thing not on that priority wish list is more money for the stream of high-cost, life-prolonging drugs for terminal cancer, which prompt patient petitions and marches to Parliament."

Our weekly round up of Head and Neck cancer news from New Zealand and around the world. This week an apology to a head and necker who suffered brain damage, the future of robotic surgery, and we can learn from breast cancer about the value of survivorship plans and nurse navigators.

DHB 'looking to make changes' after man left brain damaged, patient's wife told

Auckland Hospital staff have apologised to a Dargaville builder left with brain damage after he was given an overdose of morphine.

Each week we share Head and Neck Cancer News from around the world....

Machine learning improves the diagnosis of patients with head and neck cancers

Researchers have successfully solved a longstanding problem in the diagnosis of head and neck cancers. The researchers used artificial intelligence to develop a new classification method which identifies the primary origins of cancerous tissue based on chemical DNA changes. The potential for introduction into routine medical practice is currently b

Cancer action 10-year plan should only be a 'start'

Paul Ryder considers himself lucky to be alive.

The 68-year-old Timaru man was diagnosed with cancer in his vocal cords in 2017, but with treatment the disease went into remission and finally subsided.

He says the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019–2029, announced by the Government on Sunday, should only be a start in the fight against the disease as much more than the allotted extra $60 million was needed to find a cure, and more radiation